Tensions surge in Manipur: 33 arrested amid escalating violence

English , International - بین الاقوامی , Snippets , / Thursday, September 12th, 2024

RKI Web Desk!

Indian authorities have detained 33 individuals following a recent flare-up of ethnic violence in Manipur state. The violence has prompted the imposition of a curfew and an internet blackout, officials reported on Thursday.

The conflict, which began in May 2023, pits the predominantly Hindu Meitei majority against the mainly Christian Kuki community, resulting in over 200 deaths. The unrest has fragmented communities in the northeastern state, which borders Myanmar.

Recent clashes have claimed at least 11 lives, marked by a significant escalation involving insurgents who used rockets and drones to drop bombs. The police statement confirmed that 33 people and seven juveniles have been apprehended in response to the violent protests.

Authorities have reinstated an internet shutdown, echoing last year’s extended blackout, and enforced a curfew. Despite these measures, hundreds in Imphal, the state capital, defied the curfew and protested, demanding action against Kuki insurgent groups.

The root of the conflict lies in long-standing tensions over land and employment between the Meitei and Kuki communities. Critics accuse local leaders of deepening these ethnic divisions for political gain. The region, under the administration of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party, has seen around 60,000 displaced by the violence, with many unable to return home